Failed 3.6 -> 4 upgrade
 

Gentelmen, I have to say BB is even worse than i thought.

So after reading on the upgrade from 3.6 to 4.o i've decided to try upgrading first (and then if it didn't work i would do an uninstall, and 4.0 clean install).

Started the upgrade process - it failed right away at the DB migration stage (we run MSSQL 2000 on Win2k). No big deal i though, there should be ways to correct the problem. Checked the permissions and DB settings - all looks good. All correct accounts have the needed rights to update/change/create DBs. Ok, then righ in the install manual they say that note a utility that can make a clean DB for BES if such a need arises. So i figure that if i drop the old DB, that can't be upgraded - i can make a new clean one. I've dropped the old DB, tried the install procedure (which according to install manual should create the BB database if it doesn't find one). Wrong again - it also failed to create DB. Still, no problem i thought. If it fails to create it autimatically through the setup process, there is a utility that talks directly to SQL to create/migrate/drop BB DB's. I set all the variables in the config file for it, run it... it can't find the config file. The executable is hard coded to look for a config. file with a different name from what is supplies on BB Ent Server 4.0 CD! Even still, i decided that i just rename the config file to match what the executable is looking for and then it should work. Well it did work. Worked in ways i could never imagine. After i ran it - it errored out on something that i don't remember right now. But what it did though - is beyond comprehension. Somehow, that utility had completely changed all the authentication credentials and rendered them unusable. After that utiliy was run, no service could talk to SQL any more. SQL "sa" account with a correct password didn't work any more, i couldn't use windows authentication to login to SQL, nothing worked. It has completely isolated SQL server from the rest of the world. At this point, i had to restore the whole system fromt he backup, as our SQL server hosts DBs for other important applications.

What can i tell you my friends....For some reason, BB's software just didn't work the way it should. I've worked in IT for many years, i've configured and managed all kinds of servers and networks....but i don't think i have ever been pissed this much. I could go on and talk about what design mistakes Blackberry did when they chose the way their system works, i could comment on the poor programming and simple mistakes as giving the config file an incorrect name, etc.... but i don't think that would change much.

So, i say f*** .... forget..... the upgrade - lets do a clean install and BB software better work this time as it will cost them time, money and some bad reputation to keep several of our clients happy after this.

/frustration off........

I'm hardpressed to believe that the BlackBerry install changed the SA password.

The config file you're referring to is the BESMgmt.cfg file I take it?

For a local sql2k install, it should be fine and not fail on update. However, you *can* manually create it if you need to. You simply copy the 'database' directory from the bes4 cd to the sql machine and execute the 'createdb' command, changing any variables if needed be (for a new install you shouldnt need to).

If you reboot and login to the machine administrator account, can you load sql manager and view the databases? If you can, then create a new login on the sql server with the BESAdmin user. Run the createdb script to update the db (change the switch in the config file from create to migrate). Then assign the BESAdmin login dbo rights on the new database. Then run your upgrade/install again.

If the db upgrade fails, delete it and run createdb with 'create', then do a new install. I hope you have a list of users?

1) I don't know if it changed the SA password or did something else that resulted in the situation above. All i can say is that it would not accept my SQL credentials or Windows Trusted AUTH. Just completely locked out.

yes, and the CreateDB.exe was looking for CreateDB.cfg.

No i couldn't. I was locked out of MS SQL server. SA password didn't work, my domain admin acount and Windows Trusted authentication failed, all other known good SQL and windows accounts also couldn't get into SQL server. After that happened i've restored the backup as that was way too bad for a simple upgrade procedure (thank god for Live Imaging).